Lay end and picker guide



July 3, 1934. T, HOLT ET AL LAY END AND PICKER GUIDE Filed Nov. 2, 19 31 Patented July 3, 1934- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAY END AND PICKER GUIDE Massachusetts Application November 2, 1931, Serial No. 572,548

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a drop box loom of the type in which the picker is guided for sliding movement on a rod or spindle mounted on the lay.

It is the object of our invention to provide a lay end and picker guide of an improved construction, so designed that variations in the pick ers may be readily accommodated.

More specifically, we provide picker guiding members on the lay end which may be convenlO iently positioned to cooperate with pickers of varying dimensions or design. We also provide an increased area of guiding surface for contact with the shank of a picker.

Our invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of parts of a loom embodying our improvement;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of one of the guiding members, and

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional end elevation, taken along the line 44 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, we have shown a part of a lay having a lay end 12 mounted thereon 30v and secured thereto. Usual drop boxes 14 are mounted for vertical movement relative to the lay end and are provided with guiding portions 15 and 16, slidable in vertically extended grooves in a block 17 and bracket 18 mounted on, or secured in fixed relation to, the lay end 12.

Shuttles S are received in the drop boxes 14 and are retained therein by the usual binders B. A picker P is mounted to slide on a rod or spindle 20, mounted in fixed position in the lay end 12.

The middle portion of the lay end is cut away, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4, to provide an elongated slot or opening 22 of a width substantially greater than is usually provided. The picker P extends through the slot 22 into the actively positioned drop box, Where it engages the point of a shuttle S boxed therein.

We provide upper and lower picker guiding members and 31 for the lay end 12. A portion of the guiding member 30 is clearly shown in Fig. 3, and is preferably formed from a single piece of sheet metal having its lower edge bent rearward, as indicated at 32, and upward as shown at 33. The guiding member 30 is also provided with a plurality of vertically elongated slots or openings 35, through which clamping bolts or screws 36 may be inserted. The lower guiding member 31 is identical in construction with the guiding member 30. The screws 36 are threaded into openings in the lay end 12 above and below the slot 22.

After the parts are assembled in Working position in the loom, the guiding members 30 and 31 may be adjusted upward, downward or angularly to correspond to the thickness of the shank of the picker P and also to exact alignment with the path of travel of the picker P, so that the picker may be accurately guided and may exert the desired straight line pressure on the point of the shuttle S.

The rearwardly bent portions 32 of the guiding members 30 and 31 provide extended guiding surfaces for the shank of the picker, these surfaces being substantially increased over the area previously available.

It will be noted that the vertical portion or rear flange 33 extends to the rear of the lay end 12, so that the guiding members telescope therewith and are more effectively supported thereby.

By the use of our improved guiding members, a lay end may be quickly and easily adapted to diiferent designs and dimensions of pickers, and the guiding members may also be angularly adjusted so as to guide the picker in the exact desired direction.

Our improved construction eliminates a large amount of hand fitting in the setting up of a loom and also makes it possible to use a picker of varying height or thickness, which could not previously be done without further hand fitting. A return thereafter to a thinner picker necessitated a new lay end before a close sliding fit could be obtained.

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what we claim is:--

1. In a loom, a lay end having a relatively Wide longitudinally extended slot, drop boxes slidable on said lay end, a spindle mounted on said lay end, a picker slidable on said spindle and extending through said slot into an actively positioned box, a pair of guiding members secured to said lay end above and below said slot respectively and having portions engaging and guiding said picker, and means to secure said guiding members in vertically adjusted positions on said lay end.

2. In a loom, a lay end having a relatively wide longitudinally extended slot, drop boxes slidable on said lay end, a spindle mounted on said lay end, a picker slidable on said spindle and extending through said slot into an actively positioned box, a pair of guiding members secured to said lay end above and below said slot respectively and having portions engaging and guiding said picker, said guiding members being vertically and angularly adjustable relative to said lay end, and means to secure said members in adjusted position.

3. In a loom, a lay end having a relatively wide longitudinally extended slot, drop boxes slidable on said lay end, a spindle mounted on said lay end, a picker slidable on said spindle and extending through said slot into an actively positioned box, and a pair of guiding members secured to said lay end above and below said slot respectively and having portions engaging and guiding said picker, each guiding member being provided with vertical and horizontal portions, said vertical portion being secured to the lay end and said horizontal portion engaging and guiding the picker.

4. In a loom, a lay end having a relatively wide longitudinally extended slot, drop boxes slidable on said lay end, a spindle mounted on said lay end, a picker slidable on said spindle and extending through said slot into an actively positioned box, and a pair of guiding members secured to said lay end above and below said slot respectively and having portions engaging and guiding said picker, each guiding member being provided with vertical and horizontal portions, said vertical portion having vertically extended slots, and with clamping screws extending through said slots into said lay end and holding said member in vertically and angularly adjusted position.

5. In a loom, a lay end having a, relatively wide longitudinally extended slot, drop boxes slidable on said lay end, a spindle mounted on said lay end, a picker slidable on said spindle and extending through said slot into an actively positioned box, and a pair of guiding members secured to said lay end above and below said slot respectively and having portions engaging and guiding said picker, each guiding member being formed from a single piece of sheet metal having one edge portion bent rearwardly and upwardly and providing an extended bearing surface for engagement with the picker.

6. In a loom, a lay end having a relatively wide longitudinally extended slot, drop boxes slidable on said lay end, a spindle mounted on said lay end, a picker slidable on said spindle and extending through said slot into an actively positioned box, and a pair of guiding members secured to said lay end above and below said slot respectively and having portions engaging and guiding said picker, each guiding member being formed from a single piece of sheet metal having one edge portion bent rearwardly and upwardly and telescoping the portion of the lay end to which said member is secured.

THOMAS HOLT. WILLIAM E. LUNDGREN. 

